To accommodate a shift in when the CCAs are awarded, the current criteria term is from July 1, 2016, to December 31, 2017. All submissions must meet the category criteria within that term.

Only industry voters may vote in industry categories. Anyone may vote in public categories. Voting eligibility is only open to Canadian citizens or residents.

For more information regarding eligibility and how submissions, nominations and voting operate, please read our FAQ.

Public Voting Categories

Comedic Artist of the Year

Comedic Artist of the Year is awarded to an individual Canadian comedian, actor or writer who has performed or created comedy that was produced or distributed publicly in a live or recorded format between July 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017.
Examples: individual stand-up comedians, improvisers, sketch comedians, actors, writers. Previous winners include Irwin Barker, Samantha Bee, and Dave Foley.

There is no submission fee for this category.

Best Live Production

Best Live Production is awarded to a Canadian live production (minimum 45 minutes runtime) that had at least 1 performance in a Canadian venue between July 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017.
Examples: plays, one-person shows, revues, format shows.

Best Taped Live Performance

Best Taped Live Performance is awarded to a Canadian artist or ensemble whose live performance has been taped/recorded and originally broadcast on TV or radio, screened publicly, or released digitally between July 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017. Identical content cannot be submitted to both this category and Best Comedy Album.

Best Live Ensemble

Best Live Ensemble is awarded to a group of Canadian comedians or actors that performed together with at least 1 performance in a Canadian venue between July 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017.
Examples: sketch troupes, improv troupes, casts of plays/revues.

Best Standup Comic

Best Standup Comic is awarded to a Canadian standup comic that performed in at least 1 performance in a Canadian venue between July 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017.

Best Variety Act

Best Variety Act is awarded to a Canadian artist or ensemble that cannot be strictly defined as stand-up, sketch or improv that performed in at least 1 performance in a Canadian venue between July 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017.
Examples: experimental or novelty acts, clowns.

Best Breakout Artist

Best Breakout Artist is awarded to a Canadian live format artist (stand-up, improviser, sketch performer, etc.) who has had a breakout year, without regard to the number of years the artist has been active in the industry. The artist must have performed at a Canadian venue between July 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017.

Best Feature

Best Feature is awarded to a Canadian feature (minimum 60 minutes runtime) first screened, or opened in its first run, on television, in a public theatrical screening, or released digitally, in Canada between July 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017.

Best TV Show

Best TV Show is awarded to a Canadian television show (minimum 11 minutes runtime) that had at least 4 episodes broadcast on television in Canada between July 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017. If the same content was distributed on both TV and the Internet, the show may only be eligible for either Best TV Series or Best Web Series.

Best Web Series

Best Web Series is awarded to a Canadian web series packaged as a series with either the same format or narrative that had at least 4 episodes first released on the Internet between July 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017. If the same content was distributed on both TV and online, the series may only be eligible for either Best TV Series or Best Web Series.

Best Short

Best Short is awarded to a Canadian piece of short format content (under 60 minutes) that was broadcast, publicly screened, or released digitally on the Internet between July 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017. This submission must be a stand-alone piece; it cannot be an episode from a series.

Best Audio Show or Series

Best Audio Show or Series is awarded to a Canadian audio program with at least 12 episodes that were broadcast on radio or released digitally on the Internet between July 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017.

Best Comedy Album

Best Comedy Album is awarded to an audio recording of comedic material, performed either live or in a studio, by a Canadian artist or ensemble, that was released either physically or digitally between July 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017. Compilations of different recordings from multiple artists or ensembles and recordings that are part of an audio series, show or podcast are not eligible. Identical content cannot be submitted to both this category and Best Taped Live Performance.

Industry Voting Categories

Best Performance in a Feature

Best Performance in a Feature is awarded to an actor/actress in a Canadian comedic feature (minimum 60 minutes runtime) first screened, or opened in its first run, on television, in a public theatrical screening, or released digitally online, in Canada between July 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017.

Best Writing in a Feature

Best Writing in a Feature is awarded to a writer or writers whose Canadian comedic feature (minimum 60 minutes runtime) was first screened, or opened in its first run, on television, in a public theatrical screening, or released digitally online, in Canada between July 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017. All the writers of the feature must be included on the submission.

Best Direction in a Feature

Best Direction in a Feature is awarded to a director or directors whose Canadian comedic feature (minimum 60 minutes runtime) was first screened, or opened in its first run, on television, in a public theatrical screening, or released digitally online, in Canada between July 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017.

Best Performance in a TV Series

Best Performance in a TV Series is awarded to an actor/actress in a Canadian TV series that had at least 4 episodes originally broadcast on Canadian TV between July 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017.

Best Writing in a TV Series or Special

Best Writing in a TV Series or Special is awarded to a writer or writers who have written a Canadian series or program (episode or special) that was originally broadcast on Canadian TV between July 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017. In the case of a series, the series must have had at least 4 episodes in that date range and only a single episode is eligible for submission, not an entire season. In the case of a program, it must have been scripted for television; stand-up comedy specials are ineligible for this category. All writers of the episode or program must be included on the submission.

Best Direction in a TV Series or Special

Best Direction in a TV Series or Special is awarded to a director or directors who has directed a Canadian series or program (episode or special) that was originally broadcast on Canadian TV between July 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017. In the case of a series, the series must have had at least 4 episodes in that date range and only a single episode is eligible for submission, not an entire season. All directors of the episode or program must be included on the submission.

Best Performance in a Web Series

Best Performance in a Web Series is awarded to an actor/actress in a Canadian web series that had at least 4 episodes first released on the Internet between July 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017.

Best Writing in a Web Series

Best Writing in a Web Series is awarded to a writer or writers who have written an episode of a Canadian web series that was first released on the Internet between July 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017. The series must have had at least 4 episodes in that date range and only a single episode is eligible for submission, not an entire season. All writers of the episode must be included on the submission.

Best Direction in a Web Series

Best Direction in a Web Series is awarded to a director or directors who has directed an episode of a Canadian web series that was first released on the Internet between July 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017. The series must have had at least 4 episodes in that date range and only a single episode is eligible for submission, not an entire season. All directors of the episode must be included on the submission.